A few years ago Bristol took second place in Innovate UK's Future City Challenge. They challenged 30 leading cities up and down the United Kingdom to find forward-thinking ways of utilising technology to improve urban living standards.

Watch a video about the challenge:

Bristol takes a silver

The £50,000 was to be used to investigate potential solutions to existing urban living problems. Having impressed those responsible for the challenge, Bristol finished as runner-up and secured an additional £3 million in funding. Efforts to date have facilitated the implementation of several key long-term schemes, including:

The rollout of energy smart metres for use in offices, schools and social housing.

A series of smart transport schemes including electric car sharing, a taxi-bus service and a revolutionary driverless car project.

The securing of £40 million in private funding for smart technology projects across the city.

Creation of the Bristol Open infrastructure, the world’s first open, programmable city region.

​We're excited about our community energy projects in Bristol which will help to bring more clean energy to the city and contribute to Bristol's pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050. Chris Speller, one of our co-directors said:

"Sustainability in cities will determine the ultimate sustainability of our planet and, in climate change terms, we are already living the future. The more rapidly we mobilise the necessary economic transformations, the easier the journey will be. Community renewable energy businesses such as Bristol Energy Coop have an important role to play by providing easy ways for individuals to be proactive and become part of the solution. People can start this vital process right now and benefit themselves by investing in clean energy!”